Chronicles of Azgeda
by tendivtwo
Summary: A Grounder flashback story focused mainly on the people of the Ice Nation. At first it follows Nia, but will go on to follow Roan, Ontari and Echo. Major time jumps. -Rating is because we all know teen Nia swore a lot...
1. Prologue

**Prologue**

I am Queen Nia of the Ice Nation, the eldest daughter of King Theo, the Ice Queen, the Bringer of Death and Destruction. I am the villain of every story. I am the monster in every child's dream.

And this is the story of me and my people. I am not going to bitch and wine about things that happened to me, but rather tell you about the things I made happen. After Praimfaya hit everyone has a sad story to tell. But you are not defined by the things that happen to you, you are defined by what you do about it.

You will find out things about me that will make you hate me. And that is fine. Go ahead. You can judge me. Just don't pity me.


	2. The Memory

**The Memory**

How blessed are small children? They only have two ways of feeling: good and bad. They don't understand most of what is happening around them, or to them. And the things they can comprehend, they soon won't even remember.

Like almost everyone's, Nia's early memories are nothing more than a foggy haze of mornings spent by her mother's side. She could always remember the way that her parents' room looked, and felt. She remembers it always being sunny and warm, not only in the way of temperature.

But there is one particular morning there Nia could never forget. And didn't want to. It's her earliest clear memory…

Like every day, her mother, Queen Otta was brushing her long golden blonde hair. Behind her, a shape moved under the furry covers of the bed. Hearing a giggling sound the Queen turned around to see a little smiling girl peeking from in between the covers. That little girl with messy blonde hair and a warm smile was Princess Nia of Azgeda.

"Oh, no! What kind of monster is that in my room?" the girl's mother asked joking and walked over to the bed.

Nia immediately started giggling and then mimicked a growling sound.

"A wolf." the four-year-old yelled and then started growling again putting out her hands like paws.

"What am I going to do?" Otta started tickling Nia causing the little girl to squirm under the covers and scream out loudly.

"Mom, stop!" Nia made a run for it and hid under the bed.

Just as Otta was laughing King Theo entered the room in a hurry. He paid no attention to his wife, or daughter, he just started going through his things looking for something. The smile was immediately wiped of Otta's face.

"What is wrong?" she asked walking over to Theo.

"The Woods Clan is here. They want our army to get Polis from Rock Line." the King continued going through his belongings.

"Didn't you tell them you wanted nothing to do with choosing a Commander? We are fine on our own."

"I did. That's why they're here. To take our home." at that moment he drew out a long sword and headed for the door, "You have to get Nia and go with me. I need to know you're safe."

"Come on, Princess." Otta reached for her daughter under the bed. Soon the little girl was in her arms.

"Get her to the kitchens and lock yourselves in there." Theo stroked his daughter's head, "I will not let our home fall."

With that thought he leaned in to kiss his wife and then left the room.

Otta obeyed the King's command and soon her and Nia were in a locked room, all alone. The siege of the Azgeda capital lasted for hours. In that time Otta tried to calm her daughter by telling stories and singing songs, but nothing could numb the sounds of battle coming from outside.

In the end King Theo managed to defend Azgeda from invaders. For now. But every month, some other Nightblood was trying to win the Commander's Throne. And no matter what clan they were from, they never cared who they hurt trying to get it. Azgeda didn't care about Polis. They just wanted their kingdom to be left alone.

It was in that kitchen that Nia first discovered fear. Real fear. Fear that she'll very soon learn how to turn into hate. The most powerful weapon she ever wielded.


	3. The Encounter

**The Encounter**

It was when Nia was six, that Azgeda got a big chunk of territory back from another clan. The war was not over. It will never be over, but the imminent danger stopped. It was safe to walk around these lands again, safe to explore woods and little villages.

Also Nia's dad finally came home for longer than a week. He started using his throne again, which was a shame, since Nia loved playing on and around that thing.

King Theo also put out his famous sword for display. It was positioned in the entrance to the throne room, to remind everyone who they're about to speak to.

Nia was fascinated by that sword. She just wanted to hold it. Even for a second. Her father was very specific about how and why she is forbidden to do so, but he couldn't stop the little girl from dreaming. She would stand, oh, so very close to it and imagine the day she would be able to hold it. To take it out with her when she goes to battle. To wield it.

"I don't understand" Nia's mother spoke, "What is it about that thing you like so much?"

"It's scary. It scares people, they act different when they see it." Nia was very close again and it almost seemed as if that piece of metal had some kind of a spell over her.

"I guess you could say that. But a sword doesn't rule a kingdom. Or a crown, or a throne. A king rules a kingdom." Otta pulled her daughter closer to look at her.

"Or a queen." Nia smiled.

"That's right, Princess. Or a queen." Otta tapped the girl's nose.

Both mother and daughter had freshly combed and braided hair and were ready to go to the market. Otta began taking Nia to give the girl a sense of responsibility and freedom. She usually had servants to do that.

And Nia. Nia was just happy to be outside in the snow, between the trees.

They were already at the old metal gate that led outside the King's estate, when Otta collapsed still holding her daughter's hand. Nia called for her mother in panic.

The Queen came to her senses quickly and got back up with the help of two guards that came, hearing Nia's screams.

"What happened, Mother?" the little girl was still holding Otta's hand.

"Nothing. I'm just feeling a little weak. I think I should lie down for a while."

The guards took that as a signal to help the Queen walk back to her room. This happened to her fairly often. She wasn't born in the Ice Nation and had a hard time dealing with the cold and scarce resources.

Nia was probably expected to follow. But she kept still, thinking. No one would pay attention to her in a while. Maybe she could go on that trip after all.

She knew where the market was. Everyone knew who she was, no one would dare to harm her. And she could pick up something nice for her mother to cheer her up. Maybe some flowers imported from Trikru or Trishana? Her mother loved those.

The little princess made up her mind and ventured into the woods alone. She quickly became distracted, trampling huge piles of freshly fallen snow. Unlike her mother, Nia couldn't care less about the cold. Her parents made her wear a jacket, but she was fine without one too. She could sit in the snow, or on cold ice for hours and it just didn't bother her one bit.

She did eventually get serious and make it to the market. Like every day she was blown away by the sheer number of different and colorful looking people gathered around the stands.

She went around peeking a bit at what each person was selling. Then she noticed a woman who was only setting up her stand. She had full baskets of fruit all around her feet.

"Could I have one of the red ones, please?" Nia made an effort to behave politely, just like her mother taught her.

"I'm not selling yet, child." the woman turned around and changed her tone as soon as she recognized Nia, "But I could, of course, make an exception for the Princess."

Nia smiled seeing the woman treat her like she was something special. She started counting the money, she wasn't all that good at it yet, while the woman was still setting up.

Then Nia saw a curious-looking man walk by. He was wearing a dark-colored cloak and kept his head down. He walked through the crowd like a ghost, stepping lightly, and no one seemed to notice him. It felt like she was the only one that could see him. Like she was given a peek into a whole new world.

Her gaze followed him as he walked past the woman and leaned down to take one of those red fruits Nia loved. She later learned they were called apples.

"Hey you, stop!" Nia raised her voice, "He is a thief, somebody stop him!"

Hearing that, every person there turned to her, even the mystery man.

"No, really, it's alright, take them all…" the seller woman was clearly frightened, "He's one of the Assassins, he is always welcome here."

The man said nothing, just made a few steps in Nia's direction. The woman stepped back, but Nia held her ground.

"I am Nia, the Princess of Azgeda and you will do as I command, and put it back!"

The assassin smirked, took a bite out of the apple, threw it in the snow and ran into the forest.

Nia heard stories about the Assassins before. But she didn't know anything for sure, since every time she asked her mother she would just tell her not to worry. She wasn't worrying, she just thought it was interesting.

Before she knew it, Nia was chasing after the hooded man. Was it a good idea? Probably not. But sometimes your legs make the decision for you.

But he wasn't just running. He was one with the forest. He jumped, glided on the ice, and everything while barely making a sound.

While, Nia slipped, stumbled and got scraped by the branches. She was slowly falling behind, but didn't give up. She ran with all the energy she had.

Finally, there was a narrow river in their way. This was it, he'll have to slow down and she'll catch him. She didn't really have a good idea of what she wanted to do when she caught up with him, but nevertheless she wasn't showing any sign of slowing down.

Arriving at the river bank, the assassin completely stopped and turned around once more. He smiled seeing Nia was not that far from him and then jumped on a rock sticking out of the water. He had good enough balance not to fall and used his momentum to keep going forward. Keep jumping from one rock to another until he was on the other side.

Nia stopped and looked in shock. She had him! Almost.

As he disappeared into the forest on the other side Nia realized her little adventure was over. He was too skilled, too perfect on the terrain.

The responsible thing would be to return straight to the market and then home. But Nia… Had something else she had to do first.

She distanced herself a bit to get a running start and, after taking a few deep breaths, did it. Well, sort of.

She jumped as far as she could and barely touched the first rock with her toes. The rest of her splashed directly into the freezing cold water.

The river wasn't fast so she climbed out a few meters downstream, but she was soaking wet and a bit bruised.

"What were you thinking?! Do you have any idea how worried you made your mother and me?" King Theo was so mad he was sweating, his famous vein sticking out of his neck. Nia's only seen it a few times before, when he came out of meetings with other Clans' officials. He must be really pissed this time.

Nia was already back home, wrapped in a warm fur, sitting near a fire and listening to her father scream. She said she was sorry. What more did he want?

"Your mother is sick again! And you insist on upsetting her. Do you wish to kill her? Is that what you want?" he continued.

"No, Father." And it was the absolute truth. She loved her mother. But she was definitely not sorry. She loved roaming, too.

"Then listen to my voice and take in the words, because this is what's going to happen. You will not go outside the gates unaccompanied. You shall not break the rules, you know them well. You shall not put yourself in danger."

"But, father, I wasn't in any dan-"

"No discussion. Just obedience. That's what your King needs from you."

Nia made a displeased sound, but stopped talking. If he was not gonna listen, she was just wasting breath.

"If you won't do it for me, then for your mother. Be good for your mother." Theo crouched down and stroked her cheek, "Now, go tell her you learned your lesson and won't do it again."

Nia said nothing, just ran to her parents' room.

Be good for your mother. How hard could it be? She completely forgot the flower for Otta. Well, better not mention it.

"Hello, mother." Nia slowly walked over to the bed and took a seat on the very edge.

"Hey, little snowflake," Otta looked pale as, well, snow, "Are you all warmed up yet?"

"I'm fine."

"Well, I was going to ask you to join me-"

Nia didn't even let her mother finish, she just climbed under the covers. Otta felt her cheeks and then her forehead.

"You're warmer than I am. You'll survive. You have ice water running through your veins, like your father. Both of you could live in the snow." Otta smiled.

"I'm not like him."

"You know, he's just mean because he loves you. And that scares him. He doesn't want to lose any one of us."

To Nia that seemed like his problem. Why did she have to suffer because of him? Stupid. Anyway she wasn't in the mood for sharing this with her mother.

"Are you going to be fine?" Nia touched her mother's forehead causing her to chuckle.

"Yes, Princess. I'll be fine." Otta rubbed their noses together.

If Nia was gonna "be good" for anyone, it was gonna be her mother.


	4. The Scars

**The Scars**

Heavy snow fell, covering Otta's lifeless face little by little. Watching her lying on the pyre, all cold and pale, was a bit much for King Theo. He was trying his best to stay calm and serious, but grief hit him harder than he expected. Harder than he cared to admit.

He felt a slight tug on his left. It was Gatin, his four-year-old son. Oldest after Nia.

He lifted the boy, embracing him to keep the cold away.

"Did you put the flower Dad gave you next to Mommy?"

The boy nodded.

Otta was lying on a lot of flowers. Maybe the biggest number of them in one place Azgeda has seen in a long while.

All of Azgeda was in grief today, but only around twenty important people were allowed to be here for the burning. After Gatin, the King picked up his younger son, Chels, too.

Since this morning he was no longer the youngest one. Otta died after a long and painful night of delivering two new royals into this world. King Theo got two health and beautiful sons, but lost the love of his life.

Gatin and Chels were a bit young to understand what exactly was happening, but Nia wasn't. She was eight now and she didn't take the loss all that well.

Theo decided to give her space to recover, but now he had no idea where she was. With the two toddlers and two newborn babies, she managed to slip away unnoticed. He knew how much she loved her mother, but he couldn't wait any longer.

He leaned down to place one final kiss on Otta's forehead and then covered her face with the cloth she was wrapped in. He set fire to the lower part of the pyre. Watching the fire, Theo wondered how he was going to parent five kids alone.

Nia has been good. She really has. She didn't return to the river bank where she saw the assassin for two years! She had so many opportunities and yet, she didn't want to make her mother feel bad. So she was _good_. And for what?

Otta died anyway! It was no one's fault. It was just wrong! And unfair. And… And… To hell with it all…

She went now. It could do no more damage anyway. Her mother was gone, she was not coming back whatever Nia did.

With her she brought a bow and arrows. She planned to practice her aim a bit, to get her mind off the events of today.

Running up to the river she tried to take the same route as the assassin did years ago. Of course she didn't do it as perfectly. She slipped often, but always got back up. When she got to the river she was already wet from falling in the snow. She took off her jacket and started firing arrows to the other side. She didn't even know what she was aiming at.

And her fingers were beginning to feel a little numb. It felt like someone else's hands were firing those arrows. Like Nia disconnected from her body. Her thoughts were angry, burning hot and chaotic, while her body was cold.

The arrows flew further and further because Nia's hands found a new strength to pull the string back. Her cheeks were warmed by tears.

Not even knowing why, following some unique logic only a child could understand, Nia decided to do the jump again. Like if she could get to the other side everything would be fixed. Like crossing that river, there and then, would make her an assassin and safe from all pain.

She ran and jumped again, slipping into the water in quite the same way as last time. But having climbed out, she tried again. Ignoring the cold, ignoring the fact she wasn't even close to succeeding, she kept jumping and slipping off the rocks.

Climbing out of the river for maybe the tenth time, she heard something. There was someone coming this way. She had the slightest hope that it might be an assassin, but they were much too gracious to be heard moving through the forest. Since it got louder Nia used a nearby tree to hide. She put her bow around her torso and took out a small dagger she always wore on her waist.

It was probably her dad looking for her. That must be it. But she couldn't shake this feeling something bad was walking these woods. Something dangerous.

Closer. Closer. Nia clenched her little knife in her hand. Ice water drained from her hair. In normal circumstances she would be freezing. But fear, fear kept her alert.

And then she saw them. It was an army. Hundreds of warriors marching through the snow. Speechlessly, determinedly. They were attacking. It took Nia a few moments to remember the sign on their banners. The Woods Clan. They were marching towards the market. And there was a village there. Nia knew this, but was rendered motionless by fear. She should move. She should do something.

And it had to be today! Her father was off guard, away from their safe and guarded home.

After the army passed her, Nia ran from her cover, ran the fastest she ever ran, around the market and into the village. She figured the army would take their time, and go the long way to the village.

As soon as Nia arrived at the first few tents of the village, she started screaming.

"Woods Clan! They're here! They're coming! Trikru's coming!"

The people all turned to her and some even walked out of their houses, but they weren't doing anything aside from staring.

"Grab weapons! Prepare! They're almost here!"

She resumed running through the settlement yelling out warnings. It might not have had such an effect if not for a few local kids who spread out in all directions repeating her words. Quickly the whole village was on its feet.

Proud of what she accomplished despite her fear, Nia ran further, towards the place where her mother's body was being burned. She had to warn her father. What she didn't know was that the Trikru army had already surrounded the village completely. She practically ran into their hands. At first they just wanted to kill her, but the general in charge recognized her. She was blindfolded and taken hostage.

"I did the oath! Now return my daughter to me!" Nia heard her father's voice finally.

Someone grabbed her hand and removed the blindfold.

"Run to your daddy, Princess." the Trikru general said and released her. Nia needed a few seconds to get used to the light again, but then ran into her father's arms. He hugged her and frowned when he felt how cold she was. It was a miracle she was still able to move. Theo wrapped her quickly in his jacket.

"What did you do to her?"

"She was like that when we found her. I almost decided to take her with us, to save her from your _care_." the general turned around and left together with his army.

Theo, however furious, had to hold back his rage and focus on Nia. He carried her home where she could warm up.

"How many times are we going to have to do this?" he was happy to see some color return to his daughter's cheeks.

Nia looked away.

"I don't want to yell at you on this day. I loved your mother longer than you've been alive. And I love you just the same." he kissed her forehead, "And I want you to know, I don't blame you for this."

Nia still couldn't look at him. Why did he have to mention Mother?

"The Woods Clan made me vow to fight on their side against another Nightblood. That's why they came. But I don't blame you for having to say yes."

"Why would you blame me? I saved the village. Didn't I?" Nia suddenly spoke again.

"Well, yes, the village is still standing. But if they hadn't captured you, I wouldn't have had to do what they say. I wouldn't have to go to war again. They would have just burned that settlement, but Azgeda has many others. That would have been the end of it."

"But they would have killed our people." Nia was getting mad. She was so proud because of what she managed to do. Until now, that is.

"The warriors that will go to this war, are they not our people? Will they not die? It would have changed nothing. But I forgive you."

Nia couldn't be fine with that. She was a hero. She knew it. She risked her safety for her clan. She was a warrior today. But he didn't care, did he?

"I just need one thing from you." Theo started, "Promise me you will never go back to wherever you keep jumping into water. Promise me you will be good."

Upon hearing that word Nia knew she could never be as he wanted her to be. She thought about the assassin again. Oh, how she wished she could follow him into the forest, into the unknown.

"I can't." she finally said. No point in lying.

"You can't?! You know what? I am really trying here, but looks like you are not interested in resolving this. You will not be receiving your warrior marks next week as we discussed. You will not become a warrior. That is not what you were born to be!" Theo said his punishment. He knew how much it meant to her to start her official training.

"You can't!"

"I already did. A warrior has to be loyal. I will not have you embarrass me in front of my people."

Nia was so furious. She was ready to run to where her mother usually rested, but then remembered she was never going to find her there again. Grief hit her again as she struggled not to start crying. For the first time there was no one to defend her in this situation. She'll have to deal with her father alone.

The next time Nia was at the river bank was in a few days, when she found a way to slip past her father.

She went out there with only a dagger. Today she was supposed to get her warrior marks. She was supposed to become someone's second. But now that was never going to happen. The King was determined with his punishment.

The thought of never becoming a great fighter, like she always imagined, scared her. Well, she was not going to be some bored princess never going anywhere. She can become whatever she chooses. He cannot stop her from becoming a warrior. Not where it counts.

She clenched the knife again. This time filling up with rage, not fear.

A drop of blood hit the snow, followed by a whole warm stream. To hell with him! Nia was gonna have scars like any other warrior. She cut a design into her face that closely resembled her father's. She hated looking like him, but it was the only design she knew well enough. Blood poured down the little girl's face mixed with a few tears. She stayed strong right to the last cut. It was done. No one else might know it, but Nia did, she was a warrior.


	5. The Sign

**The Sign**

"… Of all the stupid, unreasonable things that man does! But he doesn't even listen!" Nia barged in through the door of a blacksmith's shop. Now sixteen, she at least looked like someone who can be out roaming on her own. Her hair's shade was more leaning towards pale brown now, than the golden blonde it was a few years ago. Her scars were still very visible, despite the time passed, and Nia wore her hair in a way that left them out for display. They just completed her appearance composed out of tight leather clothes, a warm fur and some jewelry she'd made from animals' bones and stones. She did look like a properly terrifying woman. And, generally, that was the idea.

"Ena? Bilaik azen? [So? Is it cold?]" asked the young blacksmith.

"Otaim ste azen, gon ai en en. [It is always cold for me and everyone.]" Nia answered, temporarily calming down.

These little sentences were like a special greeting between her and the blacksmith, named Brek. They were part of an old Azgeda folk tale.

"Your dad did something again?" the handsome, dark haired young man asked.

"You have no idea... Well, actually you do. Because it's always the same with him."

"I'm sorry."

Brek was sweet. Nia started coming to him after her father forbade everyone from selling his daughter weapons. Brek broke the rules. From time to time. It was only a few years ago when Nia realized she could get men to do what she wanted easier than women.

"I DARED to speak up at a meeting. That's the word he used. Fuck him! I just made a suggestion that we should find as many child Nightbloods as we can and prepare them to take Polis one day."

"That's kind of cruel." Brek frowned.

"The world is kind of cruel, it's about time we caught up."

Brek just nodded.

"Anyway, that would literally solve all our problems. But no!" she continued.

 _This is how things are. There are 12 clans each with their own leader. So great… Azgeda is the biggest one but has the least quantity of resources, like food. Again, so great... The other 11 clans want only to make a Nightblood from their clan the Commander. The Commander's tower is in Trikru so you could kind of understand their side, but these people were never much for reason. Anyway, Azgeda doesn't fight Nightbloods. In fact many families flee to Azgeda to protect their children from being killed in these useless combats. The only thing Azgeda wants is to be in a good relationship with as many clans as possible to be able to trade resources._

 _For some clans war might mean casualties of battles and destroyed villages, but for Azgeda war firstly means hunger. And that doesn't just mean skipping a few meals. That means parents killing their children so they wouldn't starve to death._

"So I presume you're being punished?" Brek asked going through his stuff, looking for something.

"Oh, no! That's the best part, I am kicked off the King's council!" Nia laughed hysterically.

"No."

"But yes… He asked me to leave right there and then, in the middle of a meeting, like I was a child. I swear, one day…" Nia knocked over a stool near the entrance, "Sorry."

"I think I have something that might cheer you up." Brek said and pulled a dagger from under his table. But it was no ordinary dagger. Except from being expertly crafted, it had a wolf silhouette carved into the side.

"Brek… That's beautiful." It seemed like the Princess' eyes sparkled as she said that.

"I'm glad it pleases you, my Princess. And I had time left to make you those arrows you wanted. Anything else needs my attention?"

Brek often thought about talking to her about how he felt. How he thought he felt. Although, knowing Nia, she probably knew already.

He turned his gaze to her while she lifted up her shirt to show him the wound from yesterday.

Well, maybe he didn't have to say anything. The Princess of Azgeda was in his shop taking her clothes off. He must have been doing something right…

She lied on his table in the back. The deep cut on her abdomen was from a nasty fall she took in the woods.

Brek was no healer, but he never told anyone, and that was the only important thing. He was currently checking the stitches he made in a hurry yesterday.

"You're good. It doesn't look infected. Let me just make sure." he walked away to take a bottle from one of his shelves. The alcohol burned on contact with the wound, but Nia did everything in her power not to flinch. Brek was one of the only people that saw Nia as strong. She couldn't blow that over a little cut.

"So, you know, people are starting to talk about me coming here every day." Nia took a sip from the bottle as Brek was wrapping a cloth around her waist.

"What are they saying?" he was just focused on not showing how nervous he was with her half-dressed.

"Want me to explain it to you?" she smirked, "Slowly…"

She said the last sentence in a very seductive way.

"No, this is terrible… What if the King-" Brek took a sip too.

"He doesn't care about me, Brek. Never has."

"He's your father."

"Like that means anything to him. Two days ago we received the Shadow Valley King and Prince. And you know what he asked me to do? Entertain the Prince. Like I was a common whore!"

"Surely, he didn't mean-"

"Fuck the boy? Yes, he did. He didn't go and say it, but he meant it." Nia stood up and grabbed the bottle again. Drinking wasn't something she usually enjoyed, because she liked her mind clear, sharp and focused. But once couldn't hurt.

"So did you?" Brek asked.

"Sorry, it's none of my business." he withdrew the question after getting a look. He took another sip too and started arranging some tools on the shelves.

"It isn't." Nia stepped closer, "But I didn't. I just let him kiss me. And feel me up a bit."

"I changed my mind, I don't want to know that." This made Brek mad. All the possible feelings he had for Nia aside, she was a just a young girl. Her father should protect her from this.

"It's fine if you judge me. I judge me. But don't pity me." It was like Nia could read his mind.

"But you don't have to do that. You shouldn't have to do that."

"Actually, me doing that is what gets food, and horses, and weapons for our people!"

"There are other ways to get what you want. The King is the one that should be worrying about that stuff."

"Other ways to get what you want…" Nia rolled her eyes, "So you would still do all this for me even if I wasn't a pretty girl? Break the rules, stitch me up, carve wolves for me? Please…"

"I can't say for sure. But when you're here I don't just look at you. I listen. You are not just pretty! And I shouldn't be the only one who sees that!"

"You know, tomorrow I am going to fuck the boy! Because that's the only way I can make a difference anymore…"

"Nia, please-"

The Princess slammed the door behind her.

She made her way out of the village on foot, as it started snowing. Even though she was a princess, Nia didn't have her own horse. Her father thought that the worst thing he could give to a kid like Nia was a wider range of land to roam around. Sure, her brothers had horses of their own. After all, they were in training to become warriors. Even the twins, Dom and Kot, who were only eight.

She'd lie if she said that watching each of her brothers receive his warrior marks and a well-respected master didn't bother her. But what annoyed her most was that they were much worse than she was at their age. She didn't receive one proper fighting lesson in her life, but she was sure that as an eight-year-old she could take any one of them.

Nia walked past the market not looking at anyone since she was still quite upset. She turned for the deeper part of the woods a few steps after and started running. Yeah, it was that route. The one where she saw the assassin. Again. Still.

At first she hoped to see him here again. So she would go to the river bank and wait there for hours. For years she hoped. She had daydreams that one day the Assassins would take her in and that she would never have to return home.

But that's all they were. Dreams. Fantasies. Wishes.

After reaching a certain age she admitted to herself that was never going to happen. She still didn't stop coming. It was after all a good place to train. And a good place to be alone. She might not have been the best fighter, only learning from watching others from afar, but when it came to surviving in the wilderness she had no match. She was the best at hunting, tracking and she moved through the forest like a ghost.

While running the track today, she didn't slip or get scratched by branches like before. Arriving at the river bank she didn't slow down. She crossed jumping of the rocks, in just a few strides, like the assassin did, years ago. She smirked and let herself fall in the snow on the other side. She looked at the sky as her breathing steadied.

"Damn you, Brek!" she screamed.

This much running always gave her an incredible adrenaline rush. And she loved being here. It was the place where she didn't have to _be good_ for anyone. But today even being here wasn't helping.

Snowflakes covered her face, but as always Nia didn't mind the cold. The days were getting shorter. Autumn was almost ending and it was about to get much, much colder. But that was not the problem. The problem was that last spring Azgeda lost most of its farmable lands to Shallow Valley. Their supplies of food were no sufficient to get them to spring. The clan was gonna go hungry without this deal her father was trying to strike.

And her looks… That was the only thing she had to offer to solve this situation.

"Fuck! Fuck! Fuck!" she screamed again, this time louder, causing a few birds in the branches to take flight.

Now sitting in the snow she noticed two eyes looking at her from the tree line. It was a wolf. A snow-white, decent-sized, very real wolf standing dangerously close to her. Shit!

Every child in Azgeda learns that you never ever go into the woods alone because of exactly this. But if they must be alone, they are taught to always have a fire burning. She didn't do that either. She didn't get cold.

Not wasting time, she stood up on her knees and started searching the ground for something to start a fire with. The wolf just stood there, but didn't get its eyes off her for even one second. Nia was beginning to panic a bit. She has seen wolves before, but usually from very far away. They were such cowards, at the first sight of humans they just walked away in the opposite direction. But not this one. This one was different.

"Fine! You want it! I'm ready!" Nia gave up trying to start a fire and grabbed her dagger. She was still on her knees so the wolf seemed even bigger.

"Oh, just do it already! I get it, you are not afraid! Well, neither am I!"

The wolf was still just looking.

Other people might call this situation an act of destiny. A sign of some sort. But Nia was smarter than that. A wolf was not a symbol of freedom, wilderness or strength. A wolf was just an animal. A predator that only followed its instincts and certainly wasn't here to influence the decisions of humans.

The wolf, like it knew what Nia was thinking about, made a slow and careful step forward.

"I am not afraid!" Nia lied. To herself? To the animal? Who knew…

She was terrified, but as always used anger to overcome it. She clenched her dagger.

The wolf kept getting closer and closer and Nia realized she might actually need to use her blade.

At that moment her mind should have been racing with all kinds of scenarios and ideas. She should have seen her entire life flash in front of her eyes. She should have been thinking about the people that she loved. Hah… Who would that even be?

But she wasn't. It's not that there were no useful thoughts going through her mind. It's that there were absolutely no thoughts going through her mind. Her mind was completely blank. Blank. Nothingness.

The wolf was now close enough to feel the full length of her dagger. But she didn't swing. Didn't attack. She let the animal get even closer.

The amazing thing wasn't just that the wolf wasn't displaying any signs of aggression. It was the constant eye contact they kept. Now the wolf was only inches from Nia's face and she was staring straight into its eyes. And it stared back.

Nia couldn't determine how long had passed. Maybe just a few seconds, but it felt longer. So much longer. Then the wolf inexplicably turned around and walked away.

Hell! Nia was still kneeling in the snow trying to process what had just happened. She kind of understood why wolves were considered such powerful signs. She didn't believe it. She just understood.


	6. The Cold

**The Cold**

"Brek! Brek!" Nia pushed the door to his shop open and started yelling when she didn't find him working there. It was understandable, since it was early in the morning, but still, he did usually start working early.

"Ena? Bilaik azen? [So? Is it cold?]" Brek walked out of the back room, his vision still foggy from being asleep just a few moments ago. He still didn't forget their greeting.

"Otaim ste azen, gon ai en en! [It is always cold for me and everyone!]" she said a bit more enthusiastically than usual.

"What has gotten into you?" he asked, deciding it was best to pretend like their last meeting didn't end in screaming. They were obviously still friends.

"I… I went into the woods and a wolf… A gorgeous white wolf attacked me… But it wasn't really attacking me, it… I needed an idea and so…"

"Slow down! A wolf attacked you? Are you alright?" Brek held both of her shoulders to stop her from frantically pacing around the room.

"Never better," she let him hold her in place, but still spoke almost hysterically, "I did it. I talked to Prince Ernon and when he started being the usual jerk he is, I scared him off."

"You did what?"

"I got real close to his face, like this." Nia moved closer to Brek, "Then I took out my dagger and I whispered into his ear that he is not to touch me ever again, if he wants to live."

She took out the dagger Brek gave her to demonstrate and leaned to his ear so he could hear her.

"And I said that if he said anything, but the nicest compliments about me to his dad, I would cut him open like a deer." she then took a step back, "And it worked on him!"

"I see why." Brek said. In his case, it was enough for Nia to stand close to him and he would start sweating like they were in Sankru! Let alone whispering in his ear… And it was not for the fear of being gutted.

"It's the eyes." she said, "I stared down a wild wolf, so I assumed Ernon would be nothing compared to that."

"Does that mean we got the deal with Shallow Valley?"

"Yes! The food we asked for, everything! His father gave it all up."

"Well, from every person in Azgeda a sincere thank you, Princess Nia." Brek smiled and bowed.

"Oh, stop. Now, do you still have that bottle from yesterday?"

"No, sorry, I finished it."

"Never mind. I have to get going, anyways. I only came to tell you." Nia started making her way towards the door.

"Wait. You got attacked by a wild animal, don't you want to take a break for at least a day?"

"You know I like being out there."

 _Please stay. Please, don't get yourself hurt. Please._

"Please… Let me come with you." Brek blurted out.

"You?" Nia grinned, "I don't want you to slow me down."

"I won't, I promise."

"Wait up!" Brek yelled after Nia. His jacket just got tangled and ripped on a bush while Nia strolled slowly a few meters in front of him.

"Help me, please." he asked and she reluctantly turned back. She grabbed hold of his jacket and tried to pull it out of the bush, but it ripped further. Then Nia put her hands on Brek's chest and took off the whole jacket altogether.

"You don't need it anyway." she smiled at him and continued walking. Brek froze, grinning like an idiot, hypnotized by what just happened. Sometimes he thought they had something special, just the two of them. Sometimes she'd do something, and he'd think he's not crazy to feel the way he feels.

"You wanna race to the other side of the field?" Nia asked.

"Through snow that deep?"

"I will take that as a forfeit."

"No way. Let's go." Brek said and started running without agreeing on the beginning. As soon as she realized he was cheating, she ran after him, but he had too big a head start.

Somewhere close to the finish, Brek turned back to check on Nia when he saw she was just behind him. She threw herself forward knocking Brek down on his back and falling on top of him.

Nia had to admit, he was temptingly handsome from this point of view. She would never do anything as stupid… But if she did, she'd want his hands around her waist, just like they were now. He did it to catch her, but now he was just frozen, staring and smiling like a moron. Just like her. She had to end it before she did something stupid today…

Nia stood up and continued running towards the end of the field while Brek recognized defeat and trudged after her.

A half an hour of walking later they were at the river bank where she always liked to train. She never told him why it was so special to her and why she kept coming back and jumping over to the other side. They started a fire and Nia prepared to do a few practice shots with her bow, when she noticed something moving on the other side of the river. It was a cloaked man, just standing still among the trees. And for Nia, it was like she was a little kid again, she had to follow him.

"Brek, go back." she said.

"Why? What happened?" he followed her gaze and saw the strange man too.

"Go back, I order you!"

"Princess, I'm not leaving you. Who's that?"

"Go away!" Nia shoved him in the snow and crossed the river, using the rocks sticking out, like she always did. Brek stared at her for a few more moments before he started running back to the village.

And again, there were times when he thought that he was nothing to Nia, but a means to an end. When he thought that no matter how much of himself he shared with her, how understanding he was, she was never going to tell him everything, she'd never trust him completely, never let him know her.

Nia has waited ten years for this. Ten years she kept coming here, kept practicing, kept daydreaming about seeing an assassin again. And there he was. Not the same man from before, but undoubtedly one from the same infamous group.

"Are you Princess Nia of Azgeda?" the man asked her when she carefully walked closer.

"Yes." she tried to appear calm and gathered like this sort of thing happened to her every day.

"Our leader has an interest in meeting you. Follow me." the man had a very deep voice and spoke slowly.

"The leader of the Assassins?"

"We go by many names." he started slowly walking away from the river, but Nia didn't follow, "If I leave, I'm not coming back."

Nia didn't like the way he was speaking to her. Like she wasn't a princess. Like he was doing her a big favor… He was just following an order. The man who gave him the order, he was of interest to her.

So she followed, trudging through the snow without a word. On the inside, she was thinking about what could happen next. Deciding how to conduct herself in this situation. As he led her further and further from her home, she begun entertaining another idea. Not a very happy one. That somehow, someone found out about her secret place. About her one secret wish no one knew about. And used it against her. As she followed this man further and further she began worrying if she was ever going to make it back. Then he indescribably stopped in front of nothing. _This could be the place you die_ , she thought to herself.

Then she noticed a woman, lowering herself from a tree. She was here all along. Then more men and women, all wearing similar cloaks started coming down from trees. They have all been waiting. Waiting for Nia.

Hell… Her childhood obsession, it was true. It was all true. They must meet around here, that's why they noticed her. That's why they're interested in her. She knew it was just a fantasy, but now it was coming true.

The last person jumped down right in front of her and removed his cloak. He was a dark haired man, wearing a ponytail, probably a few years older than she was. Obviously the leader by everyone's body language.

Nia knew she was supposed to feel frightened, but she was too deep in to back down now. She had to see this through.

"Welcome." the leader said.

"I know you're trying to scare me, but it's not going to work." she focused on just that man and tried to stare at him the same way she stared at the wolf.

"Then why are you trembling?"

"It's cold." she answered and clenched her fists.

"Alright, have it your way." he smirked at her, "I'm Arren, leader of the Assassins."

She was very well aware of where she was, but it was still amazing to hear aloud. She did it.

"Princess Nia of Azgeda, eldest daughter of Kind Theo, but you already knew that. I just want to say I am honored for this opportunity to join you, I am aware you don't give that to just anyone."

"You're right," he came closer, one might say too close, "We don't. I didn't say I called you here to recruit you. Everyone knows most of our recruits are children. This is a way of life. Not a game or a pastime."

"And I would never take it as such. Why did you call me?" Nia hoped his words were just a negotiation technique. Just a way of making sure she was committed to the cause.

"We have a hideout near here. You've been close to compromising it for years. Now that you have brought another person, I cannot ignore it any longer. I called you, Nia, to tell you to never come back here."

"So you called me here to threaten me?"

"Precisely." he stepped closer yet and whispered, "Now back down, like your father always does, and run along home, little princess."

"I am nothing like my father. If you'd just give me a chance, you'd see."

Arren chuckled, like he was talking to a toddled wearing war paint, and turned around to walk away. Nia couldn't let that happen. She was too close. She was with them, finally, just like she dreamed. Without hesitation she stepped after him and grabbed his arm to pull him back. In a matter of seconds, tens of daggers, swords and arrows were pointed at her.

"Give me a test. Anything you can think of, I'll do it. I am not a warrior, but I don't give up that easily."

 _If they were gonna kill me they would have done it already, instead they went for intimidation_ , she thought. She was a Princess and even thought her father might not care at all about her, he couldn't allow being disrespected like that. It would get them unwanted attention if they killed her. She knew it and it was written on Arren's face that he knew it too.

He waved down his people and only then pulled his hand back.

"Alright. You want a chance to be trained as an assassin, you got it."

Nia couldn't believe what she was hearing.

"You'll have to go through extensive training, of course, I'll personally take care of that. At sundown, be next to the river again, where you always are. One chance." Arren finished and Nia answered with a nod. Then Arren and the entire group walked away into the forest and Nia was left alone.

One chance.

First, Nia spent a few hours preparing everything for a long stay in the woods. She had no idea how long this supposed training would take and if she was allowed to come back home in that time. What she was doing was essentially running away from home, yet she didn't even dare think about passing on this opportunity. It's what she's wanted for the most of her life. She let her father hold her back for far too long, enough was enough. It's not like she hasn't thought about running away before, but there was always a reason not to. This time she could only see positive change happening.

Before going to the rendezvous, she stopped in Brek's workshop. She had to apologize to him first. Well, she didn't have to, but she thought it was expected. She did act like a jerk to him. It was hard to act all apologetic to the blacksmith, when she was actually ecstatic on the inside. Nevertheless, nothing for her, she has gotten so good at manipulating him when she wanted to, she could have made him apologize to her.

She told Brek and only Brek where she was going, just in case something went wrong. Or maybe she just wanted to show off to someone. He was reluctant to let her leave alone, but that was the deal.

She arrived a bit before sundown and sat down next to a big tree to get away from the chilling wind. Then she waited. Waited to see the strong face of the Assassins' leader again. Arren.

Sundown came and passed, still there was no sign of Arren or any of his assassins. There were a hundred things that could have kept them from coming, Nia knew that, but from where she was sitting, it seemed like they lied to her.

It's been hours now and still, Nia waited patiently, without moving a muscle. They weren't coming, it was clear. It was all a joke! She waited ten years to meet those people, she wanted so bad for them to take her in… And finally things were beginning to look up, but it was all a big fucking joke!

The wind intensified and it was getting seriously cold, even for Azgeda standards. Nia didn't even have a fire started. Even a child would know how dangerous that was. It would have been smart to just go back home, tell some lie to her dad like she always did and go on with her pathetic princess life.

Nia knew she couldn't do that. This was her only chance. The very last chance at being someone. Getting free of her father... She couldn't admit defeat. Not now.

Hours passed and it was after midnight when Nia couldn't handle shaking anymore. She decided to make a fire after all, but couldn't make her hands move as she wanted them to. As she looked down at them, they looked more like they belonged to a corpse, than a living, breathing person. Her heart, that has been racing from the moment she came here, suddenly seemed to slow down.

She abandoned the idea of building a fire and lied down to rest. Until that moment she was indescribably mad at Arren, but she cleared her mind of that too. As she lied in the snow, she thought she saw a light coming from deep in the forest. She raised her head and saw her mother, standing right in front of her. Otta, just like the day she died.

"Mom?" Nia tried to get up and walk to her. There were so many things she wanted to tell her, after all. She suddenly felt warm, just like in her memories of time spent with her mother. Not just warm, but burning hot. Nia started taking off her jacket and boots while she was trying to catch up to her mother that was standing over the river.

And that… That was the last thing she remembered.

At least before waking up.

The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes again was the big fire, keeping the entire room warm. Then as her vision cleared she begun taking in other details in the room. It took her a few seconds to recognize Arren, who was there with her, sitting next to the cot she was lying on.

She had problems moving, yet she immediately wanted to check up on her hands and feet.

"You're alright, just rest."

"You… Bastard." She said, barely forming the words.

"So you do remember? I was afraid, since you didn't seem to recognize me when I came to get you." he smiled at her, but not smug like before, it was a more inviting smile, "I found you, barefoot, under a thin layer of snow. Your face almost blue from the cold…"

He stroked her cheek, while she was still studying the room they were in. It was a bit straightforward of him. He did have a look that could be interpreted as worry. But it could be just another lie. In any case it was too reminiscent of the times she argued with her father.

"My mother." she remembered.

"I'm sorry, you did call for her a few times when I found you, but I think you imagined it."

"No!" she tried to sit up, "I saw her… I… It was a dream?"

"It often happens to people before they freeze to death. They see things."

Nia turned her gaze away from him. He saved her, that was true, but he also lied to her. Maybe she doesn't want to be saved! Maybe she doesn't want to go back to her old life.

"Just answer me this, why didn't you simply go back home?" he asked.

"I can't. I don't walk away from things I want. Ever." her speaking was sounding more normal with every word.

"If I hadn't just seen what I saw, I wouldn't believe you. But you're a beyond stubborn person."

"I will take that as a compliment."

"It's intended as such." he stood up to leave the room, "I know my word means nothing to you, but this time I really do mean it: you're in."

"What do you mean?"

"You're inside our hideout and your training starts as soon as you recover." he said and left the room.

Maybe it was still a dream.


	7. The Target

**The Target**

For the next year, Nia spent almost every day in the Assassins' hideout. It was an intricate system of underground tunnels, seemingly built before Praimfaya. It appeared small and unworthy for an organization that famous at first, but soon she learned of how big their secret space really was. It could hold as much as a hundred assassins and trainees at a time and allowed each of them a quick way to avoid capture, if they got in trouble, since it had entrances all over the Azgeda territory, if one knew how to find them.

That wasn't all. The Assassins had safe places all over the known world, every clan, Arren claimed. But that's not all he taught Nia. Assassins had a very strict way of training recruits. They took children, before they could even remember any other way of life, and brought them here to be trained. They were thoroughly tested until only the strongest and most skillful remained. Nia had special treatment, since having someone inside the King's family was an offer they couldn't say no to. She was trained personally by the leader.

Arren couldn't even determine the exact moment it happened. There she was, that new girl, looking to him for everything. Watching him fight, watching him lead, following his every move and instruction. And somewhere along the way, he looked back at her. And he liked what he saw.

She was smart, ambitious and fearless in the true meaning of that word. All in all, a great waste if not trained properly.

Her and Arren spent most of their time in one particular training room, pushing their bodies to the limit, taking turns pinning each other to the floor. And also, training.

Nia wasn't really sure what her feelings were for him. At first she just wanted to make sure she was irreplaceable. But she couldn't deny how good he made her feel, how free she was just because of him. He was the first person that actually paid attention to her in a very long time. Maybe since her mother. The first person to actually ask her what she wanted without any judgement. Arren never told her she was cruel or cold, he loved that part of her, nourished it.

"Good news. We're ridding out. Blue Cliff Clan." Arren walked into the common room where Nia was talking with a few of the other members. She's made a lot of connections since she began her training, but she still spent most of her time with their leader, even though she has known enough about fighting for a very long time.

"Why?" Nia was the only one close enough to Arren to ask such a question. And she did it with a smile.

"Because I say so. There's a Nightblood there we have to kill. Now, come on, Princess."

"We have a trading deal with Blue Cliff, we can't kill their candidate." Nia insisted.

"Your father _can't_ kill their candidate. We can do whatever we want."

"You mean whatever _you_ want." After she said that every person in the room went quiet and looked at them.

"You could saw that. This is how it works. We need weapons and food, we get that by making deals with people. That's reality."

"No matter what clan they're from?"

"The clans… It's all temporary. The whole separation is made-up, random. I don't let it dictate how I'm supposed to live."

"So why do you need more of us for just one person?" someone from the room asked to end the awkward silence.

"He doesn't know who it is." Nia said.

"Correct. We have to get the whole village to betray them. Whoever they are."

Little more than ten assassins were at the common room at that time and they all started leaving to prepare as soon as Arren said that. Everyone except Nia. She followed him out of the room and stopped him in the hallway to talk in private.

"My father is going to that clan today, I overheard him." she said quietly.

"So? We won't hurt him, we just need one person dead."

"You don't understand. The Assassins are famously part of Azgeda. If we show up there with him, it'll look like he called us. Like we're doing his biting. Azgeda will lose their largest supplier of food."

"You said we had Shallow Valley."

"It's not enough. Azgeda is the biggest clan. Please."

"Alright. For you, Princess, and only for you, we'll stop them before leaving."

"Thank you." Nia smiled and kissed him.

"How about we get you some of those apples you like while we're there?" he stroked her cheek.

 _Well, that was… easy._

 **oooooooooo**

"Why isn't Nia going, father?" Prince Dom asked while riding towards the Clue Cliff Clan with his father and twin brother.

"Because this is a military negotiation and she's a girl?" Cot poked his brother with his elbow. The two of them looked exactly alike, but everyone could easily tell them apart since Cot always had some mud or dirt on his clothes. Their hair was cut to the same length, but Dom's was always tidy and combed, while Cot's was often just pushed away from his eyes.

"No. She's on a hunting trip." the King answered.

"Don't people usually go to hunt in groups?" Dom kept asking too many questions.

"Well, you see, son… Your sister is a bit peculiar…"

"She's a weirdo! She's always hunting and never catches anything… She doesn't have any friends… She's useless." Cot interrupted.

"Why don't you tell her that?" Dom teased.

"I'm not scared of her!"

"Guess, we'll find out when she returns." Dom smirked.

"Enough." King Theo was a bit on edge that morning. It was the first time he took the two eight-year-olds with him on official clan business. He usually went alone, he did take their two older brothers Gatin and Chels from time to time, but they were clearly better suited for the army than a diplomatic mission. He was hoping his younger sons had more of a gift for dealing with people.

He, personally, never possessed that talent. His deceased wife, she had no match. She just had a way with the people… He missed her more than he could ever say, yet, he knew she'd hate him for how he treated Nia. For how they always fought.

The two boys kept whispering something amongst themselves, while Theo just looked forward, thinking about his wife. Then suddenly, they all heard someone ridding towards them. A whole group, if Theo's ears served him right.

"Assassins!" one of the warriors escorting them yelled, "Protect your King!"

Dom and Cot looked at each other in fear and then at their father. Theo knew he had to take them away from there. They were both excellent in their training, but wouldn't last a minute in a real confrontation.

"Ride, let's go!" he told them and they both hurried forward. He fell behind to see what happens to those warriors that stayed behind. All he saw were two cloaked people on horseback, shooting arrows. Still it didn't look good for his people.

Dom's horse was faster, so he was the first one to see a fallen tree in the middle of the road they were traveling on. He stopped to wait for his brother and then tried to go around it, only to find there were people on both sides of it. Cloaked people. Assassins.

What he didn't know was that right there, in the tree line, stood his sister. She was wearing a hood and a cloth over her nose and mouth, so she couldn't be recognized, like many others.

Theo rode just after them and was horrified at the sight. They were completely surrounded. The warriors that were still alive to protect them were shot by arrows as soon as they reached the blockade.

"Down!" shouted Arren and Nia pointed an arrow at his brothers, rather than the King. She knew where it hurt.

"Here! I'm cooperating!" Theo dismounted his horse and stepped forward.

"All of you!" Arren yelled again and Dom obeyed. Cot was frozen in fear, so his brother had to drag him down. They took all the horses, weapons and gave the royal three a proper scaring.

"If you head back home, you can make it till sundown." Arren said in the end, when they were all standing in a tight circle around the three terrified royals. He turned around to walk away, but he didn't expect Theo to reach for his weapon. The King immediately tried to stab him in the back, but Arren dodged his attack. The blade struck Nia's hand as she was reaching for her sword to defend herself.

She got a decent sized cut on her arm, but basically, it was harmless. She made an exceptional effort not to make a sound, since her father would probably recognize her if she did. Maybe this idea was too risky after all.

In a second, there were at least ten arrows pointed at King Theo. He dropped the weapon, seeing his plan was foolish to begin with. Impulsive.

Arren reached for his sword and then, after putting it back in the scabbard, punched the King as hard as he could.

"You want to lose the shoes too?" he got real close to the older man, "Not. My. People!"

And by that he meant _Not Nia_. They agreed that he shouldn't hurt them, but here they were. He really was an idiot when it came to her.

 **oooooooooo**

Their next stop was the Blue Cliff village they were told to visit. The King and princes were probably half way to their home by that time. Before they sprang into action, Arren took the time to personally bandage Nia's wound, all while telling her what a horrible man her father was. Which has honestly brought her more joy than any compliment he could have thought of. He offered her to stay out of this part, but she was determinant. She didn't take part in that many actions since she joined and wanted to test out her skills in reality. For now it wasn't going so good.

The people in the village were just going about their business when the assassins started walking amongst them. Some realized something was off, others didn't, either way, it didn't matter. Arren made the first move and cut the throat or a woman standing next to him. He wanted to make a statement, wanted to show the people that they are not afraid to kill for what they came for.

After the initial shock and screaming, the people just stood motionlessly, because they knew the first person to try and run was as good as dead.

"We know you're hiding a Nightblood here!" Arren started.

"We came for that person, and that person, only!" one of his people added.

"But if you don't give us what we want…" another assassin continued.

"We'll be forced to resort to ugly measures." Nia finished.

The villagers claimed they had no idea where the Nightblood was hiding. They begged and begged to be left alone. They yelled that they were innocent and that the person the Assassins were looking for left days ago.

"We're going to play a game!" Arren didn't believe them, "The next person to lie to me, dies. Right here! Does this Nightblood mean so much to you?"

He grabbed a man from the crowd and put his sword at his throat.

"Do you know where the Nightblood is hiding?" he yelled, but the man didn't answer, "Speak or die!"

"No! I don't know! I never even-"

Arren slit his throat. Next he took an older man from the crowd and asked him the same question.

"Yes." was the answer the old man gave.

"Finally! Someone wants to live!" Arren made sure everybody heard this.

"But I'd never tell _you_ … And those like you, who use fear to get what they want."

Arren shook his head, grinning, and jabbed his sword right through the older man.

"Enough!" Nia screamed and everyone turned to her. Arren was shocked to see she was holding a little girl by her hand and pointing a dagger at her.

"No!" screamed a woman, probably the girl's mother. Arren didn't like Nia acting without discussing it with him beforehand, but what was done, was done.

"The Nightblood's obviously not here." said Nia, "No noble leader would ever allow a child to die in their place."

Arren wasn't sure if she'd gone mad. Of course they would. Leaders don't become leaders by throwing themselves at every arrow. What… What was she doing?

"It's that man!" the girl's mother pointed at a person in the crowd. The man immediately started running, but was caught by two of the assassins. They cut his hand and confirmed the woman's words. He was a Nightblood.

"You're right. He wasn't ready to die for us. Why would we die for him?" the woman told Nia. The Princess nodded and realized the little girl who ran crying to her mother's arms.

The two assassins were getting ready to swing a sword at the Nightblood, but Arren stopped them.

"Nia's catch, Nia's kill." he said. It was a big deal, actually, since Nia's never killed anyone before. It was part of the training for the normal recruits, but she skipped that part. Now she was expected to do it in front of an entire village and the only people in the world that had any respect for her.

She chose to use her bow, it seemed to be a quick and easy way. After all, there were children present. And she was a damn fine archer, Arren said so himself many times. She always hit her target and today it was no different. Their target was dead and they left the village as suddenly as they came.

 **oooooooooo**

"How'd you know they'd turn on him?" Arren caught Nia sitting alone in the snow after. They were all celebrating inside the tunnels, but she didn't join them.

"People don't want to be loyal to someone that doesn't give them security. That's what a leader is supposed to do. This one didn't know how."

"And I give my people security?" he sat down next to her.

"Of course you do. You taught me how to protect myself, you radiate strength and stability, you always have every situation under control. I've learned a great deal from you." she turned to him and gave him a little peck on the cheek just to make him believe her, "That's why I love you."

It was a nice thing to say in the moment, but in reality, she didn't. It was clear as day. She approved of him, she enjoyed his company, he was good-looking as all hell, but she didn't feel, like she was supposed to. Not yet at least. She hoped saying it will make it happen.

"Took your sweet time to say it back, did you?" Arren chuckled.

"Had to keep you wondering."

"So what's troubling the woman that I love?" he started kissing her neck, "You were amazing out there today."

"It's just the man I had to-"

"A lot of people need some time after their first kill. It passes." he pulled away to look at her face.

"It's not that I feel guilty," she decided to be honest for once, "It's that I feel nothing at all. I killed an unarmed man for no good reason and I feel nothing. What does that make me?"

This has been a thought that Nia has spent a lot of time pondering recently. Something that intrigued her as well as worried her. She could see other people react to the same things she experienced, but in her case it just didn't get to her that much. Sometimes not at all.

"It's nothing to worry about. All the kids we get have to be taught that there is no right and wrong in this world. Just winning and losing. You were just born with that already inside you. When I first met you, I saw that you were willing to risk everything you had to win. That was the kind of person I wanted on my side. That stubborn survivor." he made a little pause, "That's why I love you."

Nia smirked, but said nothing. She surprised him by moving over to sit on his lap, facing him. From there he could anticipate her next move, which was to start kissing him hungrily, not letting him say a thing.

"I also like this… Honesty and… Directness." he managed to say before surrendering and kissing her back.

 _Yeah… Honesty…._


	8. The Plan

**The Plan**

The next day, Princess Nia returned to her home in the evening. Her entire family was together having dinner so she was instructed by the servants to join them. It was so weird how her father's home didn't really feel like a home anymore. Her place was with the Assassins, she had no doubt about it.

Swinging the door open, she entered the room and threw her bow to the floor before sitting down at the table.

"Catch anything?" asked Gatin, her oldest brother, then thirteen.

"No." she answered not looking at anyone at that table directly. She just wanted to finish her meal and get out of there.

"Maybe you'd like to know, your brothers and I got ambushed yesterday on the road. Barely made it out alive." the King said.

Oh, how dramatic he was being! Of course, she couldn't call him out on it. She had to fake her most convincing expression of surprise. She thought she got it very good this time. She showed some real concern. Yet she didn't feel it.

"I miss my horse." Dom said out of the blue.

"Don't be a baby!" Chels threw a piece of bread at his younger brother.

"We don't throw food in Azgeda!" Theo raised his voice, calming both boys instantly.

"Who attacked you, father?" Nia asked.

"It was those damn Assassins. Real vermin. People who could be using their talents to help the clan, but instead use it for themselves." the King sighed.

There was a time when Nia wanted nothing more than to serve her clan. But he wouldn't let her. He said she wasn't loyal enough, that she'd embarrass him. That's when she made the scars on her head. Her father knew about them and punished her when they were made, still she had an urge to hide them when she was about to be in the same room as him. Right now, her hair was down so it would cover them at least in part.

"What of Blue Cliff Clan, father?" Gatin asked.

"They did terrible things over there. Unimaginable. Luckily, we weren't there for that. A man came here to speak for them. I'll talk to him as soon as I'm done here."

"May I join you when you do, father?" Chels asked.

"Of course, my son. I like it when my children are close to me."

"I wanted to fight for you, as my King and father, and you turned me down!" Nia couldn't ignore the provocation. Even though he never used her name, it was obvious what he'd meant.

"You are the most insolent child ever to be born to this clan! What would your mother say if she saw what you became?"

"She'd say she's sorry she left me with you…" Nia said and continued eating her meal.

The four of her brothers were incredibly uncomfortable in these situations because they never really knew why their sister and father hated each other. They had no memory of how it started and how it got so bad. For them it was just another fact of life, like knowing that the sun rises in the east and spring follows winter.

"You're right. This is, indeed, on me. I neglected you. I let you do as you please and that is not what parents are supposed to do with their children. They force them to become what they are supposed to be."

Nia didn't say anything, even though she wanted to. When he got like this, giving out lectures, no one could get to him. No matter how she responded it was a monologue at this point.

"However you choose to conduct yourself, you are a part of this royal family. You belong here, not amongst the peasants! You are getting a little old for running around playing soldier."

"And what would you have me do here? Wash the dishes?"

"No. It may be time to think about a smart political alliance to be sealed with marriage."

"My answer is no. If you want my help with an alliance, it will have to be solely through negotiation."

"A man from our clan then. Someone fit to be King someday."

Nia was beyond furious. She looked around and saw all her little brothers ready for her to explode, to swear and yell and storm out. It has been done before. It was spinning in circles, like the seasons. And he always got what he wanted. He always won no matter how loud she yelled. That's why she decided to calm herself down.

She exhaled and didn't breathe in for a while. She was having one of her zone-outs again. When she couldn't feel a damn thing, just looked around like the moment was frozen in time. Like she was just a bystander in her own life. She saw her brothers' scared little eyes staring at her, expecting her next move. She saw a vein sticking out on the King's neck as he continued to yell at her, but she couldn't hear a damn thing. She saw… Behind him. Behind the King. There was a man coming into the room. The marks… Blue Cliff Clan. He was… He was taking out a dagger.

Nia suddenly pulled herself together and realized there was a man behind her father that wanted to kill him. It didn't even take a second for her to consider her options. There was nothing to think about. She just acted.

When Theo saw his daughter throw a fork in his direction, he was pretty certain it was meant for him. Yet it flew over his head and right into his attacker's face. When he heard a groan, Theo turned around and saw who Nia was looking at. But before he could even get up from the table Nia dashed forward and kicked the dagger out of the man's hand. The next punch landed on his face.

The boys just kept still and watched in shock as their sister grabbed hold of the attacker's throat and pinned him to the wall. Her sleeve moved back a bit and Dom could have sworn he saw a scar on her hand. Where would his weirdo sister get a scar made by a blade? It looked suspiciously similar to a scar one of the Assassins that ambushed them got. And when he remembered that, a lot of things about Nia suddenly started to make a lot more sense.

"Who sent you? Who told you to do this?" Nia loosened her grip on the man's neck just a bit to allow him to form words.

"Our Chief… You sent the Assassins to us… He had no… choice…"

Nia was satisfied with her answer so she took a few steps away from him, but only so she could grab a knife from the table. Her father attempted to say something, but Nia launched at the man once more to stab him.

At that moment the guards entered, realizing something violent was happening inside. But they were too late. The attacker was already lying face down and bleeding out on the floor.

Theo obviously didn't know how to act in this situation. Not with the guards or his daughter. She saved him. Not his warrior sons, she did.

"You're welcome." Nia couldn't handle the silence, so she wiped the blood of the knife on her pants and sat down to continue eating.

Her brothers were all still staring in shock.

"That was… Amazing." Cot said, but got no response. Then the other brothers started giving out compliments and reenacting what happened. All of them besides Dom. He was quieter than usual, but Nia just thought he was still scared.

"Next time alert me that there is someone trying to kill me." Theo said finally.

He was seriously not going to thank her? Well, that was low even for him.

"They'll think twice about attacking you from now on!" Cot said next.

"They'll remember this when you're Queen." Gatin added. It was a known thing, that Nia, as Theo's eldest child, would inherit his throne. It was a tradition, it was just the way dynasties worked. Yet after this statement King Theo looked away for a second.

"Listen, Gatin, your sister is… Not going to be that kind of Queen." the King said finally.

"What do you mean, Father?" Nia didn't like it when they discussed her like she wasn't there.

"You're not trained, you can't fight for your clan. If you refuse to find a husband, then Gatin will have to succeed me."

Then everyone's face expression changed once more. Looks like the fighting was not done yet.

"Are you saying you'd rather have one of the army generals lead your people, than me?" Nia asked.

"I'm saying I'm not leaving my people in the hands of someone who doesn't know what duty means!" Theo raised his voice.

"I think I have proven myself enough times, both in politics and now in combat-"

"This doesn't mean-" Theo interrupted her.

"But if you all think I'm so unfit to do anything, maybe I should just leave."

After saying that, Nia walked out slowly with her head held high. The King slammed his fist on the table and mumbled a few words under his breath, but did nothing to stop her. Neither did her brothers. No one besides Dom. He also stood up, without saying a word, and ran after his older sister.

"Nia, wait!" he caught up to her in the hallway, "You know, we don't feel the same way dad does. Gatin would give you the crown if you wanted it. It's yours by right, we respect that."

"Even if he did, I wouldn't take it. A queen that has to be handed her crown is no queen at all. You'll understand one day." Nia smiled slightly to make the boy feel like he made her feel better. She had no idea he had something else on his mind.

"And if you have something… you want to tell us, we'd understand." he said. It was a pretty common thing to say to a family member, but there was something in the way he said it that made Nia think he had something specific in mind.

"What do you mean, Dom?" Nia's tone suddenly became more serious. Her smile slipped away. The little boy said nothing, but glanced briefly at her wounded hand. How could he have-

"If you're in some kind of trouble, we'd help you."

"Don't you worry about me, little snowflake." Nia managed to smile again and pulled the boy in for a hug. She always liked him. More than the others, that is. He was smart, maybe even too smart for his own good. She'd really hate it if she had to _do_ something to keep her secret.

oooooooooo

It just started snowing as Brek made it back to his shop in the middle of the night. He allowed himself a break from working, here and there, to spend time with his friends. For the last few months he's been feeling like he'll go insane it that shop, standing there the whole day, alone.

He made his way through the room thinking he was alone, until his torch shed some light on his worktable. Underneath it, sat Nia, curled up in the shape of a ball, severely underdressed for the weather.

He was sincerely surprised to see her there. She hasn't been coming around much since… Since she got involved with Arren and his crew. She told Brek everything, even the part about Arren being in love with her, without fear he would tell on her.

"Princess?"

Nia didn't answer, she just turned to look at him. His hair was longer than the last time she'd seen him. He was also growing a kind of stubble, apparently. She liked it.

"Are you alright?" he immediately took off his jacked and crouched down under the table to wrap her in it. Even though she ignored him for a few months straight he was still concerned for her. She was still his friend.

"It's pointless." she said. No matter how much she thought about it. How many times she went over it again and again… It didn't make sense. It should have bloody worked! It was all carefully plotted. She executed every step perfectly.

"What's pointless?" Brek sat down to listen to her, now that she was finally responding.

"It all worked, better than I could have imagined and… Nothing! He still doesn't think I can be Queen!"

"What worked?"

"It all happened as I wanted it to… I paid someone to send Arren after the Nightblood! I knew my father would get blamed if he didn't show up! I knew they would try and have him killed! I knew... I knew I could stop it! I saved his life and he still won't give me my right!"

Brek had no idea what Nia was talking about. He really wanted to help, but…

"You saved his life? That's so-"

"I didn't save him, I set him up! But he doesn't know that!" Nia crawled from under the table and stood up, "Should have left the old fool to die."

"Maybe you need to stop with the ploys and just talk to him."

"There is no talking to him, Brek. You know that. Sometimes I just want to get out of here! Forget my name, my family, everything!"

"If you really mean that, I'd leave with you."

She forgot how pathetic he was. Two words and he's already trying to _save_ her. Well she didn't need saving! Not now, not ever. What she needed was to get out of her father's grip. Which seemed to be impossible. At least here in Azgeda. She hated this feeling! The feeling of having absolutely no control.

She thought the Assassins were going to give her some control over what happens, but in the end King Theo called all the shots.

"I mean it." Brek continued, "You don't have to hide with the Assassins. We could go to Polis."

"Trikru? Blah…" she made a disgusted expression.

"I'm serious. I could open a shop down there. I hear it's a developing place."

"You hear?" Nia smiled, "Did you recently obtain your own secret society of spies while I was away?"

"I work with people all day, Princess. I talk to them. So how about it?"

It was kind of… Admirable. No matter how many times Nia shot him down, how much she talked about being with Arren, Brek still just went for what he wanted.

"I can't leave. But it's nice to think about." she said, finally.

"It is, isn't it?" he went through his hair and turned from her with a big sigh.

"I can't believe I can stare down a wild wolf, but I can't get control over my own fucking life!" she didn't want to tell him about being forced to marry someone. He would just… He'd just be hurt and that benefited no one right now.

"Screw everything! From now on, I'm just going for what I want!" she grabbed his arm and spun him around, "You're a man of the people. Well, I need you to ask around. About my father, about me. How do they see us… I have to win them over, Brek."

"I can do that, Princess." he smiled at her.

"Then to the second order of business." she was still holding onto his arm so it was easy to pull him towards her and crash her lips onto his. She also tangled her other hand in his dark hair and pulled a little. It was something Arren liked to do to her.

"Nia?" he pulled away with the most surprised expression.

"Oh, don't pretend like you don't want this. You've been drooling over me since the first time you saw me." after saying that she started taking off her jacket, followed by her shirt.

"What about the assassin?" he tried to keep looking her in the eye as she undressed, but boy was it difficult…

"He's not here. I told you I'm going after what I want. And right now that's you." she knew she was supposed to be less crude about it, but she was done pretending. Done pretending she was an innocent little lady. Done pretending she was in love with Arren. And certainly done pretending her smith friend wasn't the finest looking man in the entire village.

"So are you interested or shall I look for someone else?" she was now completely naked from the waist up.

Brek answered by taking off his shirt.

He was always there when she needed him. Sometimes it was hard and sometimes… Fun.


	9. The Opportunity

_**I am so late...**_

 _ **And so sorry...**_

 _ **But this is a good one.**_

 _ **ooooooooo**_

 **The Opportunity**

Nia's father, King Theo, was not a beloved king. Most of the people called him a coward for not standing up to other clans' leaders. Others thought of him as too cruel. Nevertheless, he has managed to hold onto his rule for a great number of years, almost without opposition. Nia always had this information, but only a few months ago did she realize how unusual it was. It was then that she decided to take a closer look at his reign.

And as a conclusion, after months of eavesdropping, both personally and through Arren's spies, she realized that no man, not even her father, can rule alone. There were just a few people that you had to have under your control in order to remain in charge of Azgeda. And as it happens, she was screwing one of them.

Arren. He didn't _like_ her father, but no one became ruler of Azgeda if the Assassins didn't want him to. She at least had that part covered. By that point she had become Arren's second in command. She no longer had to manipulate him into giving an order, she had the power to give it herself. Her organizing missions Arren had no idea about was becoming more and more common and no one seemed to mind it.

The next person absolutely essential to keeping power in Azgeda was the General, who commanded all of the Azgeda army. The army was officially under the monarch's control, but in the case that the General didn't support the ruler, most of the army would side with him. Right now the General was an old and stubborn man, loyal to Theo. At least for the time being.

The third, and last person was someone without a title or group of supporters. Everyone just called him by his name, Gan. He was the man who could get anything from one place to another. Master of all trades going in and out of Azgeda. Since snow covered the land for most of the year, there was a lot that had to be imported. If someone displeased Gan, he wouldn't be imprisoned or stabbed in the night, but death by starvation was just as frightening. And if a king couldn't provide for his people, well… Then soon enough he was not a king.

With all this figured out, Nia still needed one thing. Timing. She waited for something to rile up the two key supporters her dad did have on his side.

And one early winter day, it happened. First it was just rumors of the Delphi Clan's conquests. Then people from the Shallow Valley started coming into their clan in large numbers. Finally, the wannabe commander from Delfikru attacked the outer territories of Azgeda and proclaimed them to be a part of Delphi.

Arren knew even before anyone in the royal family got word. He asked, no, _begged_ Nia to stay with them while the war goes on. He was of the opinion her father would do nothing as an answer to those attacks. He didn't think her family could protect her.

She refused to believe their king was that much of a coward so she left for his estate to see if he was preparing for battle. When she arrived he was in a meeting with his General, but when they came out of the Throne room it was obvious he was going to do nothing to protect his clan. Nothing!

Gatin, being the oldest _son,_ was also present at the meeting, but was now walking through the corridors alone. Nia wanted to talk to him first. She had to make sure she read the situation right.

"Where have you been?" he rose his voice at her. He must have been feeling so important helping Dad run the clan. So important he thought he could talk to his _older_ sister like that. And who could blame him, he picked up that sort of behavior from their father. He didn't respect her so neither did her brothers.

"You'll want to reconsider that tone." Nia said, coldly.

"Listen, we're being attacked. You have to stay here for now."

What is it with all those people thinking they can tell her where to go?

"So you're riding off to battle soon? Good luck."

"We're not! Father said we won't get involved."

"Is that so?" she couldn't believe Arren was right about him. Her dad was indeed a coward.

"Sometimes the right move is to make no move at all."

The kid was not wrong, but not when they take your damn land!

"So you'd do the same as Father? If you were King?"

"He asked me the same thing in the meeting. I still don't know."

Of course he didn't know! And that was the kind of kid her dad wanted succeeding him. And not her. She always had a plan on how to procced.

She told her brother she'll go and let Dad know she's alright. Like he'd care! In reality she went to look for the two other people that attended that meeting. The General and Gan. They both knew her since she was very little, but of course held no allegiance to her, especially now that she was out of the important meetings, thanks to her dad.

"General! Can I have a word?" Nia spotted them walking away through the hallway, but made an effort not to hurry after them. She made them walk to her.

"Always, for you, Princess Nia. You look lovely today." the General smiled at her.

What a fucking degrading thing to say… Usually, she'd just throw on a charming smile, but not today. She made the most confused expression she could manage and said:

"Well, so do you." But only after looking him up and down. Would he say that to her dad? Or her brother? Or one of his warriors? Of course, not!

"I am here to discuss the attack strategy." she added.

"Excuse me, what attack strategy?" Gan asked, feeling like he missed something at the meeting.

"There is no plan for an attack right now. The King was clear about that." the General said.

" _He_ doesn't have a plan of attack. _I_ do." Nia said making the two men squirm. Were they that afraid of her father?

"I'm not sure I know what you're suggesting." the General said after seeing that Gan was as confused as he was.

"I'm saying you and I know what the right thing to do is. But if you acted alone and sent the army against my father's wishes, that would be treason. However, if someone in the royal family gave you permission, an order, to be precise, you couldn't really be blamed, could you? And if that person happens to be the heir, that will inevitably become your monarch someday, even better."

"It is a dangerous thing you're discussing, my Princess." said Gan looking around like her father could be listening through the walls.

"I will pretend that this conversation didn't happen." the General changed to his ordering tone and tried to walk away, "Good day, Princess."

"You could just walk away," Nia started, not showing any signs of being discouraged, "Or you could be smart, just this one fucking time in your life, and consider why I feel safe enough to risk being accused of treason."

"This conversation is done." the General's words might have sounded harsh, but he stopped walking away and turned back to her.

"The only thing that's done is the Azgeda Glory Age if we don't act today. There are intruders on our lands! I know you want to show them what we're capable of as much as I do."

"We don't have the man power. The King is right." the old man said, quieter than before.

"The King is a coward! You know our soldiers are good. You know they're familiar with the terrain. You know we can win!" Nia got as close as she could to the General, trying to conduct herself as she saw him act with his soldiers. He still didn't appear convinced.

"And we'll have something no Azgeda army ever had on their side," she made a pause for effect, "The Assassins."

 _ **ooooooooo**_

"Remind me again, love, why would we do this? Assassins don't mangle if not paid." Arren was pacing after his girlfriend.

"Because winter is almost here and those bastards took our most valuable farming lands and the supplies they held. If we don't take them back, Azgeda starves!" Nia stopped to argue.

"Yes, but we wouldn't! We've always had everything we needed. You'd be fine here."

"Think about it like this," Nia sighed, "like a game of guessing. _I control the Azgeda army, the Assassins and the Azgeda commoners, who am I?_ "

"The Queen." Arren's eyes widened.

"Precisely." Nia smirked and moved closer to put her hands around him.

"So you do have a plan?" he said while embracing her.

"I take offence at that question. I don't do heroism. I plan. I execute."

"Of course you do."

"You have another question to answer," she pulled him in for a kiss mid-sentence, " _I am the man the Queen is in love with. Who am I?_ "

"I am the King." he smiled again.

"If you stop questioning me! Or I'll have to find someone else…"

He hoped that was a flirtatious joke. Although her tone was leaning on serious.

With Arren's help Nia gathered all the Assassins and started leading them to the main square where she agreed to meet the General after he'd mobilized his army. Her father was still blissfully unaware of what was being arranged and with any luck, he would remain that way.

Nia was greeted by not only the army, but a rather large group of riled up commoners, all chanting profanities against the King in Trigedasleng. As soon as she spotted Brek at the front of the crowd she left Arren and the General to argue about the logistics of the attack and ran to him.

"Bilaik ste ozen?" he asked seeing her approaching.

"Otaim ste ozen, kom ai en en." she answered and mimicked his smile.

"Well, your people are all here." he turned and pointed, "I shared with them what their King has decided, like you told me, and they weren't all too happy to hear it."

"Thank you, Brek."

"I think what you're doing is really noble." he reached out and took her hand into his. He was under the impression she was doing this so that her peasants could eat.

And the hand holding… Agh… They've agreed it was forbidden in public. She explained to him everything in detail when they agreed their little pastime would become a regular thing. She could never be his. She could never marry him. It had to be Arren. It was going to be Arren, no matter how much she enjoyed their meetings.

"What's going on?" Arren walked over and Nia let go of the blacksmith's hand immediately. Guess, him and the General finally stopped arguing about who would lead the extended army.

"Arren, this is Brek, my old friend."

Arren looked at her like what she said was impossible. She would have been offended if it wasn't hilarious.

"He used to get me weapons before I met you." she explained further.

"So you're a smuggler?" Arren put his hand around Nia, pulling her closer, seemingly just to show off to Brek.

"A smith, actually." Brek gestured with the axe he was holding. It was a master piece, like pretty much everything his hands had created.

"We could use a good supplier. How do you feel about making weapons for the Assassins? We would pay you, of course."

"I can't leave my shop," Brek checked Nia's eyes for approval, "But if you were willing to send someone to pick them up… I don't see why not."

"Excellent. Are you fighting with us, smith?" Arren asked.

"All for my Queen." he looked into Nia's eyes like he was trying to search her face for fear or uncertainty. He was trying to find a reason to talk her out of going. Well, he wasn't going to find one. It was all perfect. It was all in place. It was going to work.

 _ **ooooooooo**_

Nia was raised by her mother. That meant the stories she heard before falling asleep were mostly about tragic lovers or magical people that lived in the woods. None were about great battles, like the one she was about to fight. The first stories about war she heard were from Arren. Sometimes while lying in bed together, he would share some of his experiences, probably to feel closer to her.

But none of it was actual experience. Sure, Nia could have let the General or even Arren lead the army, but then it wouldn't really be her army, would it?

No. She had to give the orders, and not only that, she had to be there, at the front swinging her sword. The Princess was a quick study, like in everything else and soon felt like she was born to do this. And maybe she was.

Before long the Azgeda forces had the Delphi on the run. They liberated not only their own lands, but a considerable part of Shallow Valley. When it was finally over, when the last of their enemies were either running scared to their clan or lying on the ground beneath them, Nia seemed to be a whole different person. She didn't take pleasure in violence, no, that was Arren… It was power that she longed for, fought for and finally tasted.

Brek was more than a little scared, seeing her relish in her victory, while Arren loved her more in that moment than ever before. She redirected most of the army back to their capitol since there was one more thing that needed their attention. The King.

 _ **ooooooooo**_

"You will regret this! All of you! They won't even find what's left of you!" King Theo had been dragged out of his chambers and was currently bound to his throne. A few highest ranking members of the Assassins snuck in before the whole estate was taken to stop any attempts at escape.

"And what makes you say that?" they had the King's legs tied to the legs of the chair while his hands were pinned down with two thin daggers. It took a few punches for Theo to stop struggling, but it still didn't prevent him from running his mouth.

"I will hunt down every last one of you! I will wipe you from existence!"

Empty threats from a man who knows he will die soon. Soon, but not yet. Nia was clear about that. She wanted him alive and conscious.

"Where are my children?! If you've done anything to them-" he continued rambling until the door to the throne room opened and Nia entered with Arren.

"Let my daughter go! You let her go this instant!" Theo remembered Arren from their little misadventure on the road. It was only logical to assume that man planned to do unspeakable things to his daughter. His _helpless_ daughter.

"You old fool!" Arren chuckled, "Who do you think set you up?"

And Theo took a closer look at his daughter, maybe for the first time ever. She didn't look scared. Not at all. She was smiling, of all things. The blood on her clothes, her face, definitely wasn't hers. She wasn't bound, what's more, she was carrying weapons…

"You little bitch…" he barely formed the words before Arren punched him in the face.

"Out of all your mistakes," Nia leaned in closer so she could speak softly, "the one that's going to cost you everything you have is underestimating me."

"You've just killed Azgeda! All of it!" he continued yelling even though she was right in front of him, "I could barely hold them off and now… They'll come and they'll take everything. They're not scared of you! A young, unexperienced queen without a king…"

"She'll have a king." Arren stepped closer and pulled Nia in for a hungry kiss. He wanted to do that ever since he saw her lead their army. She really was a natural at this.

"And we fought off Delphi today. I don't think any of the other clans will dare challenge us." Arren put a dagger at Theo's throat, "You hear that? Your daughter did what you were too much of a fucking coward to do!"

"Arren, please." Nia said calmly, causing him to immediately step back from the King and take a seat.

"You're a real piece of work, aren't you?" Theo, finally making sense of some parts of his life, broke out in hysterical laughter, "I suppose you want me to say I'm sorry now. To say I've been wrong about you."

"No. I don't need you to give me anything anymore. I already took everything I wanted." Nia reached for his crown and started slowly bringing it to her temple before letting it fall to the ground.

"I always knew there was something wrong with you," Theo started, "I just didn't know how wrong…"

"Sit." Nia said, seeing Arren has gotten up to punch the King into silence. He obeyed, of course.

"And look at him," Theo continued to laugh, "Like a well-trained dog, that one… _Sit_ … Hah. You planned all of this, didn't you, sweet daughter?"

"What's so funny, old man?" Arren asked.

"I just feel sorry for you, boy. She's going to play you and you won't even see it coming… You'll remember this when it's too late…"

"Call them in, Arren." Nia ordered and Arren whistled in a specific manner.

The King stopped laughing when he saw all of his four sons being dragged into the room by assassins.

"What is this, Nia?" Dom was the only one of them that dared to speak.

"Good question." Nia started, giving their father a meaningful look, "I am taking over the clan. Our father has had his time, now it is time for a new ruler to step up. I will give every one of you a fair chance at defeating me. But only one."

"No!" the King struggled, but only hurt himself trying to move.

The assassins untied Gatin and threw a sword at his feet. He didn't pick it up, but kept staring at his dad, hoping to get an instruction.

"Come on! Don't you want to be King?" Nia drew her sword and waited for the boy to pick up his. He had training. Years and years of it. She didn't. He was supposed to have the upper hand. Yet, there were a lot of things he didn't know about his sister.

He went for the blade and tried to finish this duel quickly, but Nia dodged his attack easily.

She never scared him before. She was just… Nia. She was weird and loud, but she was his sister. He never thought of her as dangerous. She was mean, but not… Not this.

He attacked one more time giving her an opening that almost cost him his life.

"You're a traitor!" he yelled while attacking the next time. He did manage to nearly miss her abdomen a couple of times, but in the end, she was the one that delivered the final stab.

Theo tried to look away while the life drained out of his fourteen-year-old boy, but Arren held his head in place, looking straight at what was happening.

After Gatin, it was Chels' turn and then Cot's. They both failed, one quicker than the other and at last it was just Dom.

"You can still win. Make your daddy proud." Nia said, waiting for her youngest brother to pick up the still-clean sword.

Dom took a deep breath and went for the sword, but didn't use it to swing at Nia. Instead, he kneeled, bowed his head and held up the blade to Nia.

"I, Prince Dom, would like to renounce all rights to the Azgeda throne in favor of my sister Queen Nia of Azgeda."

Nia smiled and lowered her sword. He was smarter than the rest of them. He was ten, he couldn't possibly beat her.

"You pledge your loyalty to me?" she asked.

"My life, my sword is yours. I will never try and take the throne for myself. It belongs to you and your children after you." with that Dom threw away the sword and kept kneeling while Nia walked over. He was surprised when she kneeled down next to him and put one hand on his neck.

"You know…" she started, "You were always my favorite."

Dom smiled just slightly and Nia smiled back. She continued smiling even after she closed her eyes. She tried to remember what her mother's smile looked like. If it resembled Dom's or her own, but for some reason she couldn't. She pushed her sword right through Dom and then withdrew it almost immediately.  
None of them could live. Her reign would never be safe while one of them drew breath. It was a real shame about Dom, though. He could have made something out of himself. He would even have made a decent king.

Nia waited until he was truly gone from this world, before she pulled his eyelids shut and placed a kiss on the boy's forehead. He did look like their mother. Then she looked back at their dad and realized that the old man had stopped moving. The blood loss from his wounds must have finally been too much.

"The King is dead!" Arren said after checking for a pulse, "Long live the Queen!"

 _ **ooooooooo**_

That afternoon the bodies of the former king and princes were displayed hanging off the balcony leading out of the throne room. It was a sign that a new era for Azgeda was just beginning. Trying to convey the same message, Nia and Arren were married the same day.

 _ **ooooooooo**_

 _ **OK, so now I can't promise I'll never be late again, because I probably will...**_

 _ **But I can't tell you things will considerably speed up now that Nia is Queen. Like there will be more characters that we know... You know, Roan and others... So if you enjoyed this on any level this is not the time to give up. And yeah tell, me if you're following this...**_


	10. The Change

**The Change**

How the fuck was it always Trikru? Whenever something was wrong, it was Trikru. Whenever someone thought they had the right to rule over everything, it was Trikru. Those self-righteous bastards… Swear, it was that damn tower over there. It gave people a sense of grandeur. A very misplaced one.

Nia had just wrapped up a royal meeting and was searching for her king. It ended up being easier than expected. She stumbled upon him in the place she least expected. Their bedroom. He was sitting on their bed with a naked woman in his lap.

"You want to join us?" Arren was the first to spot Nia.

When the woman realized the Queen had just entered, she immediately jumped away from Arren and looked at Nia in absolute terror.

"It's alright, sugar, we have an agreement about this." Arren reassured her.

"Step outside, _sugar_. I need to talk to the King for a bit." Nia mocked.

"But wait outside the door, I'll call you back in." Arren managed to say before the girl slammed the door behind her.

 _She wasn't that pretty…_

"What is it, love?" Arren couldn't stand the silence.

"I thought you'd like to know there's a civil war in Trikru."

"Nightbloods?"

"Nightbloods. One of them is asking for our help."

"You aren't really thinking about-"

"Of course not, he's gonna lose. And another thing, Prince Ernon just became King Ernon."

"So you think he'll get involved with the war, being the little-"

"-prick he is. Yes." _Not unlike my husband._

"Do you know which side he'll-"

"No, I sent two spies. They'll find out."

"So you don't need me?"

"Never did, _sugar_ ," she started walking away, but suddenly turned around, "And one last thing, at least have the decency not to use our bed next time."

"The floor it is, my Queen."

They've long before agreed that Arren was allowed to do whatever he wanted, with whomever he wanted as long as no one got pregnant. Nia could live with that. It was maybe for the best. He bothered her less and felt awfully guilty about screwing everything that moved, which made him ten times more compliant and eager to please.

A figure made her way into Brek's shop in the middle of the night only to take off most of her clothes and slither into bed with the smith. Brek was only woken when he felt someone's breath on his neck.

"Your Majesty…." he kissed the top of Nia's head.

"I'm sorry I couldn't come sooner," she put her head on his chest, "A war broke out and I had to calm everyone down. Plan for the worst…"

"You want to talk about it? Check if it makes sense one more time?" Brek pulled her into an embrace. She was cold. Way too cold.

"No, I was hoping we could have some… Fun, but then I realized how late it was. I thought about going back to my own bed, but he would be there. And I can't deal with him right now."

Brek hated when she mentioned Arren to him. He'd come to terms with their arrangement. He knew his relationship with Nia had to stay secret. Yet he didn't like thinking of her as married. She didn't do it willingly. Not really. Brek liked to think of Arren as something that came with the job. He was there to keep her reign more stable. And that was it. Brek was the one she told everything. The one she was lying next to right now.

"I just don't want him to be suspicious. That's all." he ran his fingers through her hair, enjoying every second of them alone like this. Their usual encounters were swift and passionate, not gentle like this.

"I'll tell him I stayed up all night coming up with a plan. He'll believe it."

Nia's words were followed by a few moments of silence as she was drifting off to sleep.

"You know…" Brek's voice pulled her back into consciousness, "He may not appreciate everything you do for Azgeda, but the rest of us do."

"Sure…"

"I'm serious. Today, a girl asked me to make her a sword _like the one the Ice Queen has_. They love you."

"Alright, that _is_ sickeningly cute." Nia was thankful the dark prevented him from seeing her smile at that.

"And it's not just her. Azplana is a role model for girls everywhere. A role model for Azgeda."

"Please tell me that nickname isn't sticking. It makes me sound old."

"It does not." he chuckled.

"But I guess, I am a little young to be Queen. Not my fault he forced my hand." she didn't really talk about her dad since. No point whining about the past, she'd say. Brek still thought avoidance was a poor way of coping with things.

"Well, you're not even twenty yet," he started, "And you've done so much. Azgeda is the strongest it's ever been, and the largest. The clan leaders all respect you…"

"Well, they fear you," he corrected himself after getting a look, "Which means all your people are safe from invaders, and fed and happy. You've done miracles these three years, Nia."

"I'm not a witch."

"No, but you can't deny you've had a certain luck that-"

"It's not luck, Brek. It's planning. I see it all in my head. What people want, who they are, what they're going to do…" she rose her head to look straight into his eyes, "How it's all coming together and what I have to do. Then it's easy. I almost don't have a choice."

"You frighten me sometimes, you know that?"

"Nonsense. _You_ have nothing to fear from me." she kissed him.

 **ooooooooo**

Unsurprisingly, Nia was gone when Brek woke up the next morning. He was used to it by now. He told himself this was a way for everyone to get what they want. He got to run his shop and be with Nia, while she got the power and position she always wanted, as well as him. Even Azgeda got the royal family it deserved. One that knew how to rule it.

Brek would from time to time catch himself thinking like that. Like her. Justifying, making up excuses. He just wasn't sure if it was her doing or was her mindset just rubbing off on him a bit. Anyway, he wanted none of it. If he was going to sleep with another man's wife, at least he should be feeling bad about it.

After that night he didn't see Nia for about a week. Nothing unusual for them. Nia had to keep their schedule changing since she was surrounded by master spies all the time. And no one can pick up your patterns if you don't have them.

But one day she decided to just barge into the shop, through the front door no less, while it was still light outside.

"Bilaik ste ozen?" he started their greeting, but was answered only by Nia running to him and embracing him. She stayed like that for a few moments before Brek spoke again.

"It's the war. You have to go, don't you?"

"I'm pregnant."

Brek's ears suddenly started ringing with his heartbeat.

"Mine?"

"I honestly don't know." she said and pulled him even closer.

"What are you doing?"

"Deciding." she whispered.

"Deciding on what? Whether to have the baby?" he asked, but didn't get an answer. Nia did finally let go of him and pull away enough for him to see her face. She had kind of a guilty look, something she didn't display often.

She shook her head.

"What did you do?" Brek started, but got only silence.

"You don't have to worry." he continued, "I know Arren has to raise the child. I won't be a problem. I'll see the baby when I get the chance, in passing. That's enough for me."

"If only that were possible…"

"It is. Nothing has to change." his voice showed worry.

"You're wrong, everything has to change! Even though I didn't plan it for another few years or so, I'm carrying the future of Azgeda. This child is a part of a new era for the kingdom. I need to protect it."

"Nia, I would never do anything to put the baby, or you, in harm's way." Arren tried to hold her hand, but she pulled away.

"I know you wouldn't do it on purpose. I know you love me." she paused, "I also know you couldn't stay away. Knowing a child that could be yours is out there calling Arren _dad_. And if you gave even the slightest indication to anyone, my reign would destabilize again and I'd have to kill Arren, which would destabilize me even more…"

Brek was always aware of what a dangerous and merciless person Nia was, but this was the first time he was scared for his life. He knew who she was, he was just convinced there was a line. He thought he was the line.

"So, it's over? That's what you came here to say?" he could hear fear in his voice, which meant she could too.

"You're leaving. For Polis. Tonight. There are men in front of your doors, ready to take you there as soon as I leave the room."

"No… Please, Nia, no."

"Know that I didn't want it like this. I have no choice." she started walking away.

"Yes. Yes, you do! Nia, I'm begging you, I won't be a problem!"

"Then don't be. Go with my men. Find yourself a new life. New purpose. Don't make me do something even more drastic."

"Did you ever even care about me?" he asked as she grabbed the doorknob, "Was I, even for a second, anything more than a means to an end?"

"No." she said quite convincingly, considering she was pretty sure it was a lie.

She walked out after he'd gone silent and walked to the tree line. After a few moments four members of the Assassins dragged him out of the building as well. In the last few years since she became Queen, they became more loyal to her than Arren. Nonetheless, she had to have them killed as soon as they came back.

A few minutes after they were gone Nia went back to the shop. She looked around a bit, trying to remember going in there for the first time. She had no idea. No idea how much of her life would be spent there. How much he'd make her question everything she believed in.

Lead by pure rage, one emotion she did have quite the experience with, she started destroying the place. Knocking all the things from the shelves, throwing the furniture and finally letting the candle fire consume the house. It went up in flames as she walked away and to her home.

She wasn't sure if she loved Brek. It was hard to say for someone like her. She couldn't risk it, though. She had another person to think about now. She wasn't sure how she felt about that either, but she knew the child had to be a priority. And Brek was the only person to ever cloud her judgement.

 **ooooooooo**

Later the same day, Nia gave King Arren the good news. Their dynasty would live on. He was thrilled, even more than she thought he'd be. He immediately made all kinds of promises, mainly that he'll be a better husband. She pretended, returned his affections, told him they'd finally be a real family. He was under the impression a child was exactly what they needed to fix their relationship, but Nia knew better. A child made them stronger, made them more permanent. And that made them a target.

 **ooooooooo**

 _ **OK, so here I am back after a multi-month break.**_

 _ **To be perfectly honest, I kind of lost interest in finishing this story. But since I can see at least a few people are reading it, here you go.**_

 _ **And it felt stupid to call it Chronicles of Azgeda if I don't even get to Roan's birth… So as advertised, I will be posting more and of course, I'll start including other show characters. There'll probably be more time jumps from here on.**_

 _ **Enjoy and leave a comment if you can! :)**_


	11. The Baby

**The Baby**

Nia's mother died in childbirth, so she was naturally afraid she would… No, not afraid, that's a stupid exaggeration. She was rightfully concerned she might have some issues as well. Happily, that was not the case and she was now the mother of a blue-eyed little baby boy.

But instead of being surrounded by healers is some stuffy room, both mother and son were hidden away in a room used for storage, near an open window. Despite being very high in the air, Nia could still hear screams and clashes coming from outside, along with a discernible insult to Azgeda from time to time.

"You hear that, Roan?" she asked, rethinking the name her son was given today. It was Arren's idea and she was honestly way too exhausted to think clearly. But it was growing on her. She told herself it would fit better when the boy was all grown-up.

"They're here for you, you know?" The noises outside, although audible, weren't enough to rail the baby.

"And me. The bastards chose to exploit my one moment of weakness, having you, so they gathered a giant army from a few clans and came to our door. To attack a new mother and her infant son, but I'm not afraid."

Nia paused.

"First thing you have to know, your mother does not get scared. By anything. And this, Roan… This just shows how afraid they are. Of what we could become one day."

It was ridiculous, talking to an infant. A creature that could not even begin to comprehend what she was communicating. Just as she thought that, Roan began fussing in her arms.

"I'm sorry, I used to do this with someone else. But he's gone now, you see…" she studied the baby's features for similarities with Brek. He just looked like any other baby.

She was told by her healers, months ago, it was good to talk to the baby before it was even born, so he'd get used to the sound of her voice. At first she found the idea silly. The point of speech was to convey a message to another conscious speaker of the same language. This was no different than trying to open discourse with a squirrel. But she found herself enjoying putting her thoughts into words from time to time. Now that Roan was born, it was already a habit she had.

Her thoughts were interrupted when she say her newborn do something that resembled a smile.

"Look at you. You have no idea what that means, how to use it, yet… You'll learn. I'll make a king out of you yet."

From out of nowhere, Roan started crying and Nia stood up to rock him.

"Nia, what are you doing? Is Roan alright?" she heard Arren's voice from behind her.

"We're both fine." she turned to him.

"They told me you fed him and then stole him from the healers' room?"

"You cannot steal what belongs to you."

"Well, come on now, it's not safe here anymore. We're under attack and we have to get you both to safety."

"You don't think I know what's happening? They're gaining on us, Arren, I have to go out there."

"Excuse me, did you just say _out there_? You were in labor less than a day ago." he was trying very hard not to raise his voice, as to not disturb his son, but he was fairly upset.

"I won't fight, our people just need to see me. And their people need to see me. They need to know that their attempt to catch me at my lowest has failed."

"But it hasn't. And we will still fight them off even if you chose to skip this battle. I can handle it by myself."

"No. I've slept, I just need to dress properly and show my face."

"Everyone knows about the Prince being born, they'll understand that you're only human."

"No. If we want them to ever leave us alone, then they can't think of me as just a human, they have to fear me like I'm a force of nature. Like whatever they do, I'm still coming after them."

"That's-" he was interrupted.

"What do you want for our son, then? What do you want to leave him?"

"He'll be a King."

"And that's enough for you?" she paused, "I want to leave our son the entire known world. All of the twelve clans, bowing down to one person, him."

"You sound like one of them, Nightbloods."

"I'm going outside, Arren."

"Alright. If you can stand here, yelling at me, you can stand out there, yelling out orders." he smirked at her.

"Thank you. That's all I wanted."

"So who'll take Roan?"

Nia didn't have an answer for him right away, so instead she walked right past him, carrying their son. Arren followed her into the hallway.

"Hey, you there!" Nia stopped a servant girl carrying some blankets.

"Yes, Your Majesty?" the girl stopped and bowed.

"What is your name, girl?"

"Kasi, Your Majesty."

"Have you ever taken care of a baby, Kasi?"

"Well, yes, my sister-"

"Good. Then drop that." Nia pushed the blankets out of the girl's hand and handed her the new Prince, "You just got a promotion. Congratulations. You're responsible for taking care of the Prince while we're not here."

"Nia, you really trust her to take care of our son?" Arren asked his wife.

"No," she looked back at the girl, "I trust she knows what I'll do to her if she doesn't do a good job."

 **ooooooooo**

After that conversation Nia changed out of her gown and into her armor, sheathed her sword and headed outside against the wishes of her team of healers. If she was being perfectly honest she was in a bit of pain when she was leaving, but it was nothing she couldn't ignore. She decided to leave the whining to the baby.

The situation outside was a bit troubling, but it was not as tragic as Nia thought it would be. Guess, everything didn't fall apart when she took a few hours' rest. Good to know.

Nia gave a motivation speech, really touching stuff, by that point she could come up with those things in her sleep. Essentially it was saying that everything bad that ever happened to Azgeda, and consequently to each of them, was entirely the other clans' fault. Nia knew her soldiers grew up watching their clan be invaded again and again, just like her. When they helped her gain power she promised them that she'd make Azgeda the most powerful clan and she had every intention of making that happen.

Nia's soldiers soon chased the army off their lands, but they didn't stop there. That part was fairly easy since it was winter time, something no other army knew how to handle as well as Azgeda. Nia ordered them to move across borders, strike back at the people that started all of this without being provoked. Many clans suffered losses that day, but none more than Trikru.

For many years to come, while Azgeda celebrated that day as the day their beloved prince was born, the other clans mourned the brutal slaughter that Nia unleashed on them.

 **ooooooooo**

When Nia returned home, she was all but ready to collapse on the nearest bed, but she couldn't rest until she checked on her son. She found that he was already in the room they've prepared for him, quietly sleeping in his crib, while Kasi rocked him and hummed.

The girl was actually great at this… Who knew? Maybe they could make this into a lengthy arrangement.

"Your Majesty." Kasi spotted her and got up to bow. Nia nodded and walked forward to take a closer look at Roan.

She was faced with a problem of sorts. She wanted this girl to take care of her son, but she knew nothing about her. If she was going to trust her, she had to get to know her. Usually getting a reading on someone was no problem for Nia. She knew a lot about some people from simply reading their body language. But there was one thing about Kasi that made it hard for Nia to read her.

Kasi was a woman. It's not that women were more difficult to comprehend; it's just that Nia spent her entire life surrounded by men. She grew up with just a father and four brothers. Her best friend was a man, her husband, of course, most of the Assassins and the army. And the women she did meet were not like Kasi. Here Nia was staring at a girl maybe a few years younger than herself, who'd never been to battle, never killed anyone and probably didn't want to discuss favorite defense strategies to get to know each other better.

"Where're you from?" Nia asked.

"Here, Your Majesty. The village just outside your estate. I've lived here my whole life."

What was Nia thinking? She couldn't be friends with this girl, she had probably never left this valley, let alone this clan…

"I see. You can drop the _Majesties_ for now."

"Of course."

"So how old are you anyway, Kasi, was it?" Nia continued despite knowing it felt an awful lot like an interrogation to both of them.

"Yes, Kasi. And sixteen."

"Alright. Kasi, what would you say to a job as my son's caregiver, indefinitely?"

"Indefinitely? I'd have to ask my father first. He's been arranging to marry me off, and if I get married then I can't leave my household."

"I had a father with ideas like that. And you know what I did to him." Nia smirked, before realizing how upset Kasi looked. In all fairness, that wasn't something most people found funny. She was bad at this. Truly.

"I mean," Nia started again, "If you were to say yes, I would look out for you. No one could tell you what to do besides me."

Nia turned to Roan again and stroked his arm before continuing.

"He means everything to me, I hope you understand that. Nothing is more important to me than him being taken care of," then she turned back to Kasi, "Do you have someone like that? Someone you'd do anything for?"

"My sister." Kasi answered right away, "I've had to take care of her by myself mostly since our mom died."

Nia was pleased. So that was the way to go… Family. Compassion.

"I know what you mean. I was eight when mine died."

"I was ten." Kasi was quiet for a few moments after saying that, "And I'm telling my father I took the Queen's offer."

 **ooooooooo**

 _ **I'm aware it's kind of short, but there it is, Roan is finally in the story. He'll be bigger next chapter, don't worry.**_


End file.
